Hearts
by angelsinstead
Summary: A murderer strikes in Llanview. A man writes his crimes down on paper... BEFORE they happen. Who is committing these gruesome murders and what does it have to do with Marty Saybrooke and her child?
1. Destiny

**Author's Note** : This story is based off the hit soap One Life to Live, yet the "history" has been changed somewhat to suit the purposes of this story. I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.

This story is AU. It was written for the 2015 Summer Mystery Challenge (When The Lights Go Out Challenge).

My story is loosely based on this prompt - -Your character finds a hand written journal. They believe it to be a struggling writers attempt at a murder mystery. When the crimes start coming true around their city, they realize there is more to the story. It is also based on _Milagro_ , an episode of X-Files.

 **~*~Destiny~*~**

Marty Saybrooke sat in a wooden rocker, a precious baby within her arms. This child was a miracle. She was the light of her life. After losing her baby with John and the tragic loss of both Cole and Hope, this little girl was all that Marty had. John had left her for Natalie, and Marty had been all alone. She had decided to go to a fertility clinic and request to be artificially inseminated. She had specifically asked for an anonymous donor. Nine months later, she had given birth to a blue-eyed baby girl.

Marty had named her Gracie. And she was Marty's world - her everything.

But then the letters started coming...

 _Dearest Marty,_

 _I think you should know;_ _ **I**_ _am the father of your child. You said at the clinic that the donation should be anonymous, but I took it upon myself to supply the sample. I fathered your child. Your baby is a part of me._

 _I love you, Marty. I have_ _ **always**_ _loved you... and someday, we'll be together - you, me, and our little Gracie._

 _I have been watching you. I have been watching_ _ **both**_ _of you. When I have everything in place for our reunion, I will be coming for you._

 _Get ready. Your heart will be mine._

There had been no signature on the letter and no forwarding address. Marty told no one. She believed it to be true. She knew it was no hoax.

On the day of Gracie's birth, after a long and difficult delivery, Marty had drifted in and out of consciousness. As she lay in her hospital bed, a dark-cloaked figure stood over her. It was a man. Now he haunted her dreams.

 _"Marty, it's me," he spoke to her as if from a dream._

 _"I am the father of your child."_

She should know that voice. She should... but yet she didn't.

For weeks she had thought it was a dream, until the letter arrived. Now she couldn't stop looking at it. Couldn't stop obsessing over it. Who was he? Who had fathered her baby?

His words chilled her. _I will be coming for you,_ he had said.

Who was he? And when was he coming?

Looking down at Gracie's sweet face, Marty was overtaken with a sense of peace. *Whatever will be, will be,* she told herself. Whoever he was, it would seem that he was her destiny.

 **Author's Note:** The next chapter will be called "Murderer." Stay tuned!


	2. Murderer

**~*~Murderer~*~**

A man and a woman lie upon the bed, their limbs twisted together. Their hearts thundered as their bodies cooled. They wore expressions of satisfaction. They had been caught up in the passion and the ecstasy.

The woman reached out, caressing the man's mane of long blond hair. "I can't believe that this is real... that after all these years, you and I are back together."

He gazed with adoration into her dark-brown eyes. The years apart showed her age. He was at least twenty years younger. That had never mattered to him then... and it did not matter to him now. There was only one thing that made him hesitate- one thing that made him long to call it all off...

"What about _him_?"

"He'll never find out about us," she said. "What he doesn't know, won't hurt him."

Once again, she caressed his hair; her fingers tangling in the long blond ponytail. She was hot for him; their desire could not be denied. Screw the world... Screw society! She would find pleasure in the arms of a younger lover. She would cheat on her husband. Did it really matter that she was now a grandmother?!

A woman needed love. A woman needed ecstasy! And most of all, _she_ needed him.

As gazed into those eyes, as blue as the summer's sky, a dark-cloaked figure hid in the shadows just beyond the curtains. He was watching.

He had come for what he needed. And he was waiting patiently. He had come to take his most-treasured prize.

He wasn't just _any_ man. The man who watched them was a murderer.

Author's Note: The next chapter will be called "The Warning." Stay tuned!


	3. The Warning

**The Warning**

A knock sounded at the door. Marty ran to it quickly. She had just put Gracie down for the night. She didn't want her baby to awaken.

As she pulled the door open, she saw the face of the man she had once loved. He had been her world... until the day she caught him kissing Natalie. He had betrayed her; turned to another in Marty's darkest hour. Their baby had died... and instead of staying with Marty and comforting her, John had turned to Natalie. He had slept with Natalie for his own comfort.

"John," she said softly, staring into his dazzling blue eyes. She had loved those eyes. She had loved everything about him.

 _Why had she been such a fool?_

Now looking at him, her heart ached. Her soul cried. She wanted to push him out the door. She almost did... but then he started speaking.

"Marty, I need to talk to you," he said. "It's important."

He pushed his way inside and closed the door. Marty stared at him. What did he possibly want?

"Shouldn't you be home with Natalie?" she asked.

"Where's Gracie?" he questioned at the same time.

"She's sleeping," Marty answered. "John, what are you doing here at this late hour?"

Marty felt almost naked as she was wearing nothing more than her nightgown. She had been close to going to bed herself when John had came to the door. Her body shuddered. It had been so long since a man had touched her. As she looked at John, longing washed over her, but she pushed it down and buried it beneath her pain. How could she want a man who had left her for another? He had betrayed everything. He had left her after the tragic loss of their precious baby.

"Marty, I came to warn you..."

"Something is wrong. I can _feel_ it," he told her urgently.

"What the hell are you talking about?" she asked, becoming annoyed.

John was always the rescuer. She wouldn't let him rescue her. Not anymore! Those days were gone and over!

"You're not safe here," he stated. "I just know that something bad is going to happen."

"John, you're not making sense."

"Manning lives next door!" he exclaimed.

Less than two weeks ago, Todd had taken the apartment beside Marty's. She had hardly seen him. He kept to himself mostly... and never once had he said anything off-color to Marty. She wasn't worried.

"I'm safe with Todd," Marty replied. "We made our peace years ago. Todd would never hurt me."

John stared Marty. He wasn't convinced. Not entirely. Something had alerted him to danger- some sort of sixth sense. Marty wasn't safe. He was sure of it. He always knew when a woman was in need of rescue. Marty needed his help; she just didn't know it.

He wanted to argue with Marty about her safety, but she was stubborn. She wanted to take care of herself and be independent. He started to protest again, but Marty wouldn't hear of it.

"Go home to Natalie, John," she said firmly. "Gracie and I will be fine."

She was sure this was some sort of ploy. John probably wanted to get back into bed with her. _Never again!_ As much as she desired him, she wanted a man who cared about her and no other. She wanted a man who would always be there for her. She knew she deserved so much more than John McBain.

John hesitated, gazing at Marty in her thin nightgown. He longed to peel it off her, but he didn't. He couldn't. He had lost her. _He had been a fool._

"Good night, Marty," he said softly. "Stay safe."

"I will," she said as she watched him walk out the door.

She closed it behind him, leaning against it. He was gone. He was going back to Natalie.

A tear gathered in Marty's eye. She was alone...

But she _wasn't_ alone. She had Gracie; her beloved baby.

Then she thought of the man- the man who had told her he was Gracie's father. Who was he?

She didn't feel alone, because _he_ was there. He had been at her bedside after her daughter's birth. He had been watching her... sending her letters. Shouldn't she be unsettled by that? Shouldn't she be afraid?

As she locked the door and crawled into bed, Marty wasn't afraid. He was coming for her. She knew it. He was her destiny.

Author's Note: The next chapter will be called "The Heart." Stay tuned!


	4. The Heart

**The Heart**

A man sat at his desk, a pencil gripped in his determined hand. He was writing on a sheet of paper, describing exactly the scene and how he wanted it to go. It had to be perfect. He had to get his prize.

 _The woman reached out, stroking the man's long blond mane. They were lying on a bed, their bodies twisted within the tangled sheets. Upon his return to Llanview, they had got back together. They both just met the summit of pleasure._

 _"I can't believe that this is real... that after all these years, you and I are back together," she spoke._

 _Although twenty years younger, the man absolutely adored her. To him, age was only a number. She was still beautiful and he still wanted her. In fact, he wanted her now more than ever._

 _But what about her husband?_

 _"What about him?" he asked as he hesitated. His lips had been just about to take hers in another passionate kiss._

 _"He'll never find out about us," she said. "What he doesn't know, won't hurt him."_

The writer ceased for a moment, chewing on his pencil while deep in thought. He was thinking about the charm he had ordered online not even a week ago. He thought about the powers it was said to possess. He had ordered it from Catalonia. According to the literature, it was supposed to provide whoever possessed it with a miracle. It would provide his heart's desire.

He knew exactly what he wanted.

He wore the charm on a chain. It rested against his chest. It was warm and it appeared to be beating. The metal had been formed into the shape of a human heart. He could hear the steady thumping as he thought about the glass crystal case His Miracle had arrived in. It sat empty in the next room. It was waiting.

As he began writing again, the thumping he heard became louder, almost frantic in it's intensity. It reminded him somewhat of the tattoo in Poe's _Tell-Tale Heart_... except this heart was a gift.

A gift for himself.

"Here it goes," the writer said as the words flowed down upon the paper.

 _The man and the woman were kissing. Their lips moved together in urgency._

 _The curtain moved aside. The murderer left his place, where for the past hour, he had been hidden._

 _He wore a long black cloak with a hood. No part of him was visible, except for perhaps his eyes. They glowed with a startling, unnatural light._

 _He watched, emotionless as the man and woman had sex. As the man's hips stopped pumping, the woman drug her nails across his smooth back. "Ohhh Jason... that was so good..." she breathed._

 _"I love you," he said as he drew away from her._

 _The murderer rushed forward then, his black-gloved hands reaching out toward the woman. Before she could even register what had hit her, he settled those hands upon her chest._

 _She recognized him. Before she could say his name, he sunk his fingers inside of her._

 _There was the sound of tearing flesh and the gasp of incredible pain that came from her startled lips. All of that paled with the screams of terror from the man._

 _"Dorian!" he cried out, yet he was powerless to help her._

 _The murderer held her beating heart in his hands. He had obtained his prize._

The writer set down his pencil. The charm he wore was warm. It lay snug against his chest. As he stood, he was determined. He had to have _his_ prize. He needed it. He _had_ to have it.

He had to have it, so he could have _her_... the woman he desired.

She had loved him once... but it had all gone to hell.

But he would have her back. She _would_ be his. He would see to it.

The glass case sat upon the table, the one that had contained the charm. It had been empty, but now it contained his prize.

It contained the heart.

It beat with his love for her.

"Marty," he said as her name floated across his lips.


	5. Love's Prisoner

**Love's Prisoner**

"I need you to get down here," Victor hissed into the phone.

"Why? What's going on?" asked Todd.

"There's been a murder. And someone... for whatever reason... has already written an article about it in today's edition of The Sun."

"How can that be?!"

"I don't know. But I need you go get down here... NOW!"

Victor hung up the phone. Todd stood there, holding the receiver and hearing the echo of the click. He hated working with his brother, but he had no other choice. The courts had divided everything between Todd and Victor equally, including The Sun. Despite their animosity for each other, they had joint ownership of the paper. Todd hated it. He would rather spend his life in hell than spend one minute with his twin.

He grumbled as he headed out the door.

~*~o~*~

Marty, too, had just heard about the murder. Jason Webb was in jail. He had been found with the body, and he had Dorian's blood all over his hands.

There were so many unanswered questions. Marty had to get down to the police station so she could see Jason.

When she arrived there, the place was swarming with media. John was trying to take Jason downstairs, despite all the chaos.

"Jason!" Marty called out as she began chasing after them. She had to push her way through the persistent crowd.

Finally she caught up with them, just as John was leading Jason into a jail cell. "John, stop!" Marty cried out. "Surely you don't think Jason had anything to do with...?!"

"Dorian Lord is dead," John stated as he locked the jail cell and turned to look at Marty. "Since he was the only one there at the time, it isn't looking good for him right now."

"But he didn't do it!" Marty exclaimed.

"The evidence says otherwise."

John didn't have a lot of sympathy. He left Marty alone with Jason. After John had walked away, Marty stared at her oldest and dearest friend through the iron bars.

"This isn't right, Jason," she said. "I know you didn't do it."

Jason had hardly spoken since the murder had occurred. He was still in a state of shock.

"He ripped her heart out," he murmured. "He just came in... and he tore her heart from her chest. He killed her. He killed Dorian."

"Who did?"

"I am not sure," he said as his blue eyes glowed with tears. "I didn't see his face."

Marty reached through the bars, placing her hand on Jason's arm. She wanted to comfort him, but she couldn't. There was nothing she could say to stop the pain.

"I love you, Jason. You're one of my dearest friends. I know you didn't do this. I know you wouldn't hurt Dorian. Whoever did this... I promise I am going to find them. They will pay for what they did. I am going to be here for you. I will visit everyday. And soon the truth will come out. I know it."

Jason felt Marty's soft caress on his arm. He looked down to see her fingers stroking him, her touch so light and tender. He had to conquer the sudden, overwhelming urge to kiss her. His feelings were so tied up in a tangle of sweet love and friendship.

"It won't be so bad, being here... if I have you, Marty."

He smiled a little, reaching out to take her hand in his. He gave it a soft squeeze. "But you have a baby now. Gracie comes first," he gently reminded.

"She does, but I will be here for you, too. Vicki's watching her," Marty told him.

"You're a good friend," he said in a whisper.

"So are you."

His eyes clouded over again. "Dorian didn't deserve to die," he said. "I came back to Llanview to be with her. We were in love."

Marty nodded. She too had experienced love once. More than once. But it had all gone to hell. She had been left bleeding among all the pieces.

~*~o~*~

As Marty was leaving the police station, she saw Victor. He had come to interview John McBain about the murder. "Didn't you get enough already?" she said as she brushed passed him. "I saw the article in The Sun this morning. It was very distasteful."

"I didn't write that," Victor responded.

"Then who did?" Marty asked.

Victor shrugged. He and Todd had been trying to figure that out all morning. Someone had written the article. Someone knew exclusive details of Dorian's murder, but no one at The Sun seemed to know the identity of the one who had published the article.

"Leave Jason alone," Marty warned. "He's going through hell right now... and he doesn't need YOU badgering him."

Victor stared deeply into her eyes. She nearly lost her balance as he gazed at her so intently. The feelings; the desire between them was still so strong. Marty nearly swooned.

"Don't you have a child you need to get home to?" he asked her.

"Victor, I'm warning you," Marty said, breathless.

He only chuckled as he walked away. She watched his every movement. He had one big fight on his hands. She was ready to do whatever it might take to protect her friend.


	6. The Loss

**The Loss**

He arrived in town and rushed to her side. He wanted to hold her. He wanted to dissolve all her pain.

"Ohhh Blair," he said as he crushed her in his embrace. "I'm so sorry about your Aunt Dorian. You've already been through far too much. You didn't deserve all that pain."

She stared into his dark eyes. She couldn't believe that _he_ was here. After all this time, their connection was still so strong. They had loved. Once upon a time, they had been the parents of a precious baby boy; a child who did not survive.

She was thinking of their son as the moments passed. She saw the sorrow lurking in the dark depths of his eyes. It matched her own.

"Thank you for coming, Patrick," she said as she held him tight. "I couldn't... couldn't go through this without you."

"Losing Dorian; it's like losing a part of my life. She took care of me. She was there for me. She loved me like her own," Blair said sadly. "I don't know how I will get through the rest of my life without her."

Lovingly, Patrick wiped away all her tears. "I am here now... and I am not going to leave you," he swore. "I need you..."

"What about... what about Marty?" Blair asked. "You loved her once."

"I did, but everything's changed," he stated. "Margaret and I... we can't go back to what we once were. I know, because we've tried."

"What happened with you and Marty? Why did you separate?"

Patrick let out a deep, heavy sigh. He expelled it from within his soul. "We were both hurt too deeply for far too long," was all he could say. "I had to let her go. After Hope and Cole died, there was nothing left- no connection remaining that we could hang on to."

"But what about us? Brendan- our son- he died, too," Blair whispered sorrowfully.

"We loved each other before Brendan and we love each other now; even more so. Nothing can stop that, Blair. Nothing," said Patrick.

Tears fell and he comforted her.

He was back. Patrick was in Llanview. He wasn't leaving. He was back where he belonged.


	7. The Reunion

**The Reunion**

She couldn't believe it when he just showed up at her door. She couldn't believe he'd appear all out of the blue, after he abandoned her. "What are you doing here, Patrick?" Marty demanded. She stood in the door way, staring at him, a frown upon her face.

"I'm here because I discovered the truth. I know about the baby. You gave birth to another man's child."

"That's right. I did," Marty said coldly. "I was artificially inseminated after our son and our granddaughter died and you left me- after John cheated on me with another woman. I wasn't going to wallow in the sorrow a moment longer. I went on with my life."

"And I am going on with mine," he countered. "Blair and I- we're back together."

"Well, I am happy for you, Patrick," said Marty, but she didn't mean it; at least not 100% percent.  
"You and Blair make a _perfect_ couple."

"Jealous, Margaret?"

"Not on your life. I don't need you, Patrick Thornhart," she said in a little hiss. "I deserve a real man, not a coward."

With the words she flung at him, Patrick was thoroughly pissed. He tried to push his way inside her apartment. He raised his voice, his stance threatening.

"I can't believe you would say that... after all we've been through! You loved me! I know you loved me!" he screamed.

"LOVED not love," Marty said pointedly.

He was backing her up to the edge of the couch. She couldn't run. She had to stay and face him.

Just then the baby cried. Their arguing had awakened baby Gracie. She was stirring in her crib, crying fitfully.

The commotion seemed to have disturbed Marty's neighbor as well. Todd Manning stood in the doorway. As his eyes swept the room, he saw Patrick backing Marty into a corner.

"What's going on here?" he asked with a frown.

"It's okay, Todd. Everything's fine," Marty said a bit to quickly.

"Mind your own business, Manning," Patrick threw over his shoulder.

Throughout the exchange, the baby continued to cry. Marty broke away, saying she needed to care for her daughter. After she left, Todd and Patrick exchanged glares.

"Are you the knight in shining armor now?" Patrick asked hatefully.

Marty came back moments later, carrying her daughter who was wrapped up in a pink fluffy blanket. "You can leave now," she said to Patrick. "I won't have you coming here... and upsetting Gracie."

Patrick glanced down at the little one in Marty's arms, the child she had conceived with another man. "I'm going home to Blair," he said under his breath.

He walked out quickly, stepping by Todd in the process. After he left, Todd approached Marty who was cuddling and soothing the baby.

"What was that about?" he questioned.

Marty looked at Todd with tears in her eyes. She was hurting so much; she couldn't speak.

"Are you and the baby alright?" he asked, his hand coming forward as if to caress her.

Just an inch from her cheek, his touch fell away. For a heartbeat, both of them stopped breathing.

"Marty, please... speak to me," Todd prompted. He sounded like a man in torment.

"There's nothing to say, Todd. Patrick left me. And John cheated on me. I lost Cole... and I lost Hope. All I have is Gracie. She's all I have."

Their eyes settled on the child. She wasn't crying anymore. Her blue eyes sparkled. She looked like a tiny angel.

"She's all I've got," Marty stated. "I lost everything. All I have is this baby. I can't bear anymore losses."

He dared to caress the baby's face. He trailed a fingertip down the infant's fragile cheek. When the tender moment ended, his eyes locked with Marty's.

"I should go," he said in a whisper.

Then he was gone... as if he had not been there at all.

Marty stood there, feeling a strong sense of confusion. Ever since Todd had moved into her apartment building, they had gotten along so well, often making small talk as they met in the hallway. Something was changing and she felt it.

Something was pulling her toward Todd.

"Am I losing my mind?" Marty said as her face contorted into a grimace.

 _That's the last thing I need,_ Marty was thinking. _Todd and I are like oil and water. We don't mix. It's just a disaster waiting to happen._

Knowing that was true, then why did she **want** it to happen? Why would she even _think_ of letting Todd Manning back into her heart?


	8. The Sad Goodbye

" _I wish I had no heart, it aches so…"  
~ Louisa May Alcott, Little Women_

The Sad Goodbye

It seemed that the whole town of Llanview had shown up for Dorian Lord's funeral. Reverend Andrew Carpenter was at the podium. He was speaking of Dorian and all she had meant to so many. Andrew's wife, Cassie was quietly crying as Blair sat on the bench nearby, comforted in Patrick's strong arms. So many tears fell. It was such a sad day.

After the last words were said and Blair sang a beautiful melody in honor of her aunt, many friends walked forward to greet the family and say their last farewells to Dorian. Marty followed the crowd toward the front, holding her beautiful baby girl in her arms. Baby Gracie was wearing a white gown adored with ribbons and lace. Her blue eyes were bright and lively as Marty neared the casket by which Andrew, Cassie, Blair and the rest of the family were standing.

"Marty, I can't believe you'd show up here!" Blair said, her eyes bright red from so much crying. "You've slept with every man here at my aunt's funeral!"

A gasp went out over the crowd at Blair's brazen words. They were very harsh, even for Blair.

"You had Todd... and Victor... as well as John and Patrick," said Blair, her voice rising. "Hell, you even tried to seduce my cousin Cassie's husband, the reverend! I wanna know, Marty, who here _haven't_ you FUCKED?!"

"Blair, that's enough," said Andrew, his voice gruff. "Now is not the time... or the place-."

"I don't want her here... her or that- that baby." She said 'baby' as if little Gracie was nothing but a dreaded curse. She was glaring at the infant in Marty's arms as if Gracie was the child born of the devil.

"Blair..." John spoke up. He was only a few feet behind Marty. He was doing his best to calm Blair, but failing miserably.

Marty wanted to scream at Blair and defend herself, but Andrew had a point. This was Dorian's funeral. Blair had just lost her aunt. Clearly she was distraught, but there was more. So much more. Blair was shooting Marty hateful looks as if she wanted to kill her. All Marty could do was quietly excuse herself as she didn't want to make a huge scene at Dorian's funeral, especially since there were children present such as Blair's young son, Sam.

Marty didn't know it, but the murderer was at the funeral and he had seen the entire incident. He had heard the awful comments Blair made to Marty and he was furious. He knew that Blair must pay for her words. She must pay a steep price for hurting and humiliating Marty. He knew just how to get his revenge. Someone must DIE!

As Marty was walking out of the church, carrying sweet little Gracie, a tiny hand tugged at the sleeve of her dress. "Hi, Marty," said a child's voice.

Marty looked down, seeing Blair and Victor's son looking up at her with wide-eyed innocence. He was such an adorable little boy. Despite how upset she was from Blair's humiliating words, Marty couldn't help but smile at precious, little Sam.

"Hi, Sam," she said. "I am so sorry about your Aunt Dorian. I know how much you loved her."

"I did," Sam replied. "It's so sad that she's dead... and somebody killed her."

The little boy hung his head as he tried not to cry. Marty knelt down, wrapping her free arm around the child. She was trying to comfort little Sam who was struggling to contain his tears.

"I'll miss her," Sam said, but his eyes were on little Gracie. In that moment, a tear ran down the boy's face.

"I wish she was my sister," he quietly said.

As Marty stood up, she was thinking about what Sam had whispered. As she left the church yard, those words echoed in her head for a long time.

She reached her car and placed baby Gracie into her car seat. After she started her car and pulled out of the parking lot, she saw a man standing by the edge of the cemetery. She recognized him as the hooded figure, the father of her child.

He was watching her.

Stay tuned for the next chapter : Another Murder


	9. Another Murder

_Don't worry about your heart, it will last you as long as you live. ~ W. C. Fields_

Another Murder

They met in the place of their youth, a place where they had once loved long ago and shared their dreams. Together, they shared love again in one of their favorite places - the stables. Only the horses knew of the passion they shared that day... or so they thought. They had no idea that they were being watched in the shadows - that a murderer was listening and watching their every move. The murder only had one objective... but this time it was _two_. Yes, he'd take TWO, because he was an impatient man... and he wanted her love now more than ever. He wanted her back again. She was **his**... His beloved.

As he looked upon the man with the dark mane of unruly dark curls who was making hot, passionate love to the woman with long, honey-colored hair, he seethed. He cared not for them. He had no remorse... no sense of conscious. He had been hurt far too long. He would show no mercy, because they did not deserve it from him. They- both of them- had hurt the woman he loved... and the woman whose heart he desired more than anything in this entire world.

She lay upon the sweet-smelling hay in the freshly-cleaned stall, lightly stroking the naked back of the man in whose strong arms she had returned after so many years. In their youth, they had loved here often, and they had created a child, a son, but sadly their boy had died. His life had been snuffed out before he had even drawn his first breath. All of her life, she had grieved for her son and she had longed to have his father back, just like this, in her embrace. With no one else, had she ever felt so safe ... and so whole. All along, it had been him, the one who knew her like an open book and soothed her like no other. No other man had given her love and contentment as he had.

"How could I have been so foolish?" she whispered to him. "It was you all along. YOU! The ones before you... and the ones after, they were never right for me. It was you I needed. You I longed for. You have my heart."

His lips curled up in a lazy smile, serene in the after-bliss of their lovemaking. "I should have known as well, but my heart was wounded. We lost our son... and others were there, trying to tempt us... trying to tear us apart. We should have listened to our hearts... and found our way back to each other. I am so sorry for not listening - for not listening to what my heart was trying to tell me all along," he spoke. "But I am back now... and I am not leaving. I am here forever... and we have another chance. We can be happy again. In fact, we are happy right now, despite the recent death of your aunt and all the chaos and animosity around us and what happened at her funeral. We don't have to be a part of that. We can just come here... and in this place alone where all we have is each other and our love. We'll be safe in happy; content in each other's arms forever."

She sighed as he stroked her breast, lightly arousing the nipple. Her breath caught in her throat as her passions stirred again, making her want him. "Can we really have happiness now? I have longed for it sooooo long. And I am not so young anymore."

He laughed, a merry sound. "Me either. It would appear that I am getting grey in my hair."

"Ohhh no, you are not. You are still young... and virile."

She ran her gaze over his toned body, taking in all the muscle, the medium-bronzed flesh, and the thick dark nest of curls between his strong thighs. Through all the joy, a little sob caught in her throat and for just a second, tears shone in her amber eyes. "I wonder if it's too late... too late for you and me to have another... to have another baby?" she asked him softly.

He looked at her, slightly cocking his head to one side as if her words had caught him by surprise. "You'd want another?" he asked. "Your other children are grown... or almost grown."

"And you've lost two sons. It's not fair. You need another child. And I want another child with you," she answered. "Could we?"

'I don't know,' he said as he grinned again. "A baby? Could we handle that?"

"I think we could."

"Well, we could give it a try. I'm willing to make it happen,' he said as he rolled over on top of her. "Or we can spend a lot of time trying."

His cock was erect as he slid inside her, thrusting deep, giving her everything they had both longed for over so many years apart. But the killer, waiting in the shadows, was not moved by their words or their display of passion. He was enraged as he aimed his gun and wounded both of them in a single shot. His aim was meant to wound... never to kill. To kill them would be to waste the precious objects he sought - his victim's beating hearts.

As they lay there bleeding, gasping in the hay, the man and the woman looked at each other in a mixture of shock and disbelief. "If this is how our lives will end, I will spend my last moment loving you," the man spoke eloquently, just like a poet.

"I love you, too,' she whispered, holding his hand as she was drifting... slowly fading, so close to death.

As they spoke their last words, their killer descended upon them, his hands outstretched toward their naked chests. Their screams shattered the peacefulness of the stables as he viciously tore at their flesh, ripping out their hearts. As they lay dying, he smiled with pleasure. It was done... and he was one step closer to his goal - Marty Saybrooke's heart and her love.

 _Author's Note- The next chapter will be called Two Hearts. Stay tuned!_


End file.
